C (n, k)

C (49, 6) = 49!/ [(49-6)! x 6!]

Where 49 is the available digits for selection, 6 is the total number of digits to be selected, and C is the total number of combinations one can bet on. ! means multiplying a series of descending natural numbers starting at 49.

Math 17, circa 90-something.

And it's just half of the job. The rest depends on the number of people marking out those combinations. No sweat.

What would you do with the millions?

I would take my buddy with me, and we would disappear for a while. Maybe we would go to Waiheke Island for a short vacation, let the magic sink in. Afterward, we would talk about the dough over a glass of Naked Grape juice. Save the half, share the 1/4, invest the 1/8, travel with and splurge the remaining 1/8. What a life.

I'm not sure what the two lotto winners have been doing since the historic draw last Sunday night. I hope they are both genuinely good individuals— like some great karma has just happened to them. And I hope they can still pass it on to their grandchildren's grandchildren.

*****
What happened last Sunday was not an exact science. It was pure luck. One hell of a good luck.

Chew the Fat

Another weekend habit.

Most Sunday or Saturday evenings, right after attending mass at Pius, we would take a gradual walk along UN Avenue, passing the Sikh Temple and Unilever then crossing the Pres. Quirino Extension near Robinson's Otis. Right there at the crossroads, we would make a short stop in a small "booth" owned by Manang who sells balut, softdrinks, biscuits, candies and yosi, and calls each of her customers "Anak". She would give us two balut eggs, then remind us of the available "maanghang na sawsawan": 1 for mild, 2 for strong, and 3 for very strong. [Of course, I would rather choose salt.] She would generously offer a roll of tissue (unlike many fast food chains that limit a piece of super lightweight tissue to one person regardless of the order size) and monobloc stools. Sometimes, a tricycle driver would give us his chair (there is a tricycle "terminal" nearby).

My buddy would slightly tap one pole of the egg on the edge of Manang's tiny table, creating a small opening. I would drop a pinch of salt on the crack, drink the warm broth (sabaw ba), eat the yellow part then give him the rest. Nice and easy. We could finish our break in less than 15 minutes. Our brief visit would give us time to inadvertently overhear street stories from other customers (or from Manang), and gaze at some fancy handsome cars (like BMW and Ford pickup) or good affordable family vehicles (like Crosswind and Avanza) passing by. Eventually, we would start musing (again and again) about our "future" family car. Afterward, we would continue our stroll until we reach Robinson's mall-- to buy some groceries or take our chance on lotto, or just wait for a bus going home.

And I love us for that.

Hearty snack, easygoing chat. =)

What's Up Yo

Really weird Joaquin.

I'm not a big fan, but I consider him one of the few very good character actors in Hollywood. His performances in movies like James Mangold's Walk the Line, Doug Holt's Inventing the Abbotts, Terry George's Hotel Rwanda, Ridley Scott's Gladiator, and M. Night Shyamalan's Signs are few substantial testimonies of a fine acting. That's why when the news came out announcing to the world that he's shifting career followed by his series of outrageous appearances in known TV shows, I've had some rethinking about this whole Joaquin Phoenix repackaging. Perhaps, it is not about him being high on drugs or having a classic nervous breakdown. Perhaps it is something deeper, more intense, well-versed artistic craftsmanship.

I have two related theories (as if the world cares):

1. Maybe he's pulling off a social experiment, gauging how the media as well as the audience are going to react.

2. Maybe this is just all about the documentary film that he and his brother-in-law and fellow actor, Casey Affleck, have been shooting. If this is the case, the premise of the film is not really about an actor taking a chancy career move, but about an audience's wavering frame of mind.

And if I'm right, the "new" Joaquin the rapper Phoenix would be another stunning masterpiece.

Easy Valentine

We had a fun and cozy night out last Saturday. It was a follow-through on our Friday night "gig". We checked out Fish Out of Water at Greenbelt 5. Double celebration naman sya, so di nakaka-guilty mag-overindulge, hehe. We made reservation two days before.

We ordered grilled chicken couscous salad, grilled Sarangani Bay milkfish belly, steamed lapu-lapu in soy sauce, a huge crab over a pasta in white sauce with garlic (I forgot the name), kiwi shake, strawberry shake, buko juice, and their iced tea. They served us their smoked fish pate, thinly sliced baguette with a creamy dip, for appetizer.

The interior reflects a fine dining atmosphere (but most customers, including us, were in casual attire). The attendants are welcoming, and the service competent. Thanks to our attendant (Rick ba yun?) who tried many times to take a decent group pic of us.

And Gabi was soooo hyper the whole time.

The steamed Lapu-lapu was 5 out of 10 (I'm not sure how it would taste in other sauces). The crab was 7 out of 10 (my buddy broke their crab plier, hehe). The pasta, without the garlic and some crab meat was 8 out of 10, but with garlic was 6 out of 10. The salad was also 7 out of 10. The whole food adventure, for me, was an 8. =)

Total overheads for four adults and a super hyper kiddo was around P4k. Relatively steep. But if you're not planning to grab any of their per gram entrees, such as steamed lapu lapu and crab, you could budget around P500 (with drinks) per person. Each serving is good for sharing.

After FOW, we walked around Greenbelt for some photo ops. Gabi was still nonstop. Ibang klase. We had been chasing her all night. Then, we wrapped up the night with Nay's treat at Starbucks near Makati Shangri La (the one at GB3 was too crowded).

*****

Happy birthday, Nay! Much Love, GJ, Nin, Giselle, and Gab.

UPDATE: Wildflower

We did it. Yeah. :)

It wasn't a seamless process however. There was a delay of almost two hours due to heavy traffic. There was a change of location because it was already after regular office hours -- from the small Hawkers Management office to the open air Manila City Hall garden. Luckily, they have been having OT tasks this month, which gave us a significant leeway to catch up on the last-minute hitches. Pulling the whole thing off had become much more taxing in some way. But when the first song started, I instantly knew that it would be a smash hit.

My buddy and I were hiding at the back, behind the huge sliding glass window. We were like stalkers, trying to get a partial view of the whole show. I wasn't able to pick up the song very clearly, but I realized that Nay was crying. [Giselle informed us soon after that the group first played Beautiful in My Eyes, followed by Wildflower; and concluded with Moonriver (which Gabi also enjoyed as she sat on Nay's lap).] Some of her officemates had been taking video and photos using their mobile phones. Parang celebrity, hehe. It was a fine three-song performance— with a bonus Happy Birthday To You sang by everyone. The crowd cheered. Nay was a little dumbfounded. And happy. Thank God. The tough grind that we (inlcuding Broe) went through that week was worth it. =)

*****
Super thanks to Maam Norma, her boss, and the rest of her officemates for helping us keep the whole thing a top secret up to the last minute. And thanks to the boys for the music.

Hmmm..nice team, buddy ko. =)

Wildflower

While many lovey-dovey couples put so much effort into making reservations at the most romantic spot on Earth every February 14, my buddy and I do our best to come up with an extraordinary family bonding idea in our attempt to make that day a little extra special for Nay. It's her day, not ours.

We're done with the flower delivery thing. She loved it. We're done with a family night out surprise. She loved it as well. This year has given us the trickiest stint so far. I've been thinking about it for more than four weeks now. And my buddy and I have finally decided on surprising her with an acoustic serenade just this week. Buti na lang, Broe is the go-to-guy in times like this— yung mga Mentos moments, ganun. Aside from his rare ingenuity, X factor nya ang pagkakaroon ng malawak na network.:) Partida pa yan ha, he's been preoccupied with all the getting married blues (He and Marge are tying the knot in two weeks. Woohoo!). Let's say, he made our life for the past few days lighter (naks!).

So tomorrow afternoon, one day before Nay's birthday, will be the "gig". Trio guitarists (namely, Charles, Darwin and Jazz) will be at her office's doorstep to sing three songs. [Sana naman ma-hit namin ang weakness nya.] Nati-tense din ako— first time to arrange this kind of treat for someone special. I'm not really sure if she would like it. I mean, the whole package, including the embarrassment that lies ahead at Manila City Hall. But we trust Broe so much (ehem, ehem).

*****
I wish Ma is also here in Manila or somewhere nearer. Getting this thing done in the province while being here is way too dense. And we don't have a Broe there. [Haaaay, bentang benta ka sa kin Antonio ha.] :D

Adding Broe to my list...=)

Cantina

We had our 42nd month slash advance Vday celebration yesterday [our Feb 14 will always be Nay's birthday special]. Our initial plan jumped from one potential date place to another, and struggled from one petty dispute to the next.

First was Malacca (but he changed his mind) then Vieux Chalet (but the timing was a bit off), and then Cafe Juanita (but all of the taxi drivers we encountered that afternoon showed us some sign of consternation; too scared of the traffic I guess). And we only had an hour or so to beat the rush hour in Makati. So he suggested Eastwood, after all we had not seen the place in several months.

The taxi ride was slightly quiet. We were both cheesed off to some extent. But we got there, he gave way...=) He was back to his usual accepting, easy nature. Ikot-ikot muna, then we agreed on having Mexican dish for the night.

We tried Agave's Appetizer Sampler (which is 50% off everyday from 4PM-7PM). Beef taquitos, Yucatan chicken skewers, three-bean empanaditas and Mexican buffalo wings (yumyum!). Served with chips and your choice of salsa. For our next course, we went for the Seafood Platter. The amigos size serves two to three persons (but the menu says 3-4). Calamari al chipotle, shrimp Chile rellenos, three-bean empanaditas, shrimp quesadilla (yumyum!), and filete de Pescado (yumyum!). Served with both lime cilantro and Mexican red rice, corn chips, Mexican green beans and, again, your choice of salsa. We noticed that we had a few redundant foodies. He ordered a cup of brewed coffee, which he liked (now I'm wondering why I didn't attempt to taste it, hmmm), and I chose mango shake (how original, hehe).

Given the serving size, taste, ambience and customer service, the overheads won't hurt your pocket. For a date, budget around P1,200-1,500 for two (or three). For a light solo meal with a glass of your favorite cocktail mixed drink, around P250-400.=)

That night, he was so in the mood for taking photos. Or, maybe it was his way of making up for our cab ride episode. O baka pinagbigyan lang ako...=P

We weren't able to finish our platter. The set was too heavy for our appetite. But good food anyway. For me, the service was also good; for him, the attendants were about to cross the line between being very accommodating and a bit pushy, hehe.

We capped the night with a cup of extra hot Raspberry Mocha Kiss. =)

*****

For always trying to back off from every spat and recognize my point even it starts to get on your nerves, I love you to pieces. And yes, sometimes, you can be erratic. =)

*kugos nang malupet*

Sunlight Hours

Happy New Year!

*****
Super late post. Hehe.

Nose-Dive

My first browse for the day (after one cancelled meeting and another missed meeting due to a dial mix-up) swayed me to check out this particular MSN front page article that includes the following statement:

"She's switched perfumes (no more orange blossoms!), but there's still something about her scent. I don't think it can be reduced to what comes out of a crystal bottle; it's human chemistry. And no matter how many columns I write, I'll never be able to explain it."

Yun yon eh. You've been wondering about the "satisfaction" that I usually get every time I sniff you. Di ko sya ma-explain in a logical, extraordinary way, but I am 100% sure that I can recognize you and pick you out of a crowd by your scent— even when blindfolded. Hmmnn. =)

*****
Maniwala ka na lang kulet ha?

Murphy's Law on Coffee

SBUX is closing some shops.

This cruel economy. Tsk, tsk. Laissez faire. Let it be.

*****
More photos of CarbonNYC here.

Number 44

No need for adjectives.

*****
I planned to watch the whole inauguration thing. I went home early and made sure that my phone was fully charged so that I could witness the event live. I even bragged to him about it. Like "hey, I'm watching Obama via live digital broadcast". Coolness. 10PM Manila Time, the scenes were all about the crowd. 11PM Manila time, a glimpse of the Obamas and the Bushes. Past 12AM Manila Time, I suddenly woke up from an unwanted nap, stunned by the sound of a loud ringtone. My buddy was calling. And Mr. Obama was saying "And God bless the United States of America". The crowd cheered. I decided to move on to replays.

Photos borrowed from the following links:
http://www.bet.com/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/03/tears-for-obama-photos_n_140582.html
http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/related/7rkuq/emotional_photos_about_the_obama_inauguration_in/
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/01/the_inauguration_of_president.html
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/01/20/world-inauguration.html?ref=rss
http://observers.france24.com/en/content/20090121-watching-obama-inauguration-around-world
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1872900_1827615_last,00.html

TV on the Move

After a series of hassles from my postpaid plan application, I got my sweet reward. Yahooooo! I have been enjoying it to the max. This high definition mobile TV thing is worth all those email complaints, anxiety in waiting for the replacement unit, and other technical difficulties I encountered for almost a week. I can now surf and watch as many as 15 channels (including three test broadcasts), like CNN, ETC, National Geographic, Jack, History, NBA, MTV, PBA (no commercials, fyi), Cartoon Network, CNBC, Solar Sports and Prime TV (for hit TV series) at my convenience. Feeling naka-cable TV (kick ass no?). The reception is crisp and clear. The signal is sometimes interrupted or the image becomes pixillated for a few seconds but the super simple workaround is to change angle.

I wish Smart had this promo several months back so that Kati and I could have had our own TV at home. Yeah, we would've been squeezing each other's faces in front of a 2.4" LCD monitor. But it's better than desperately downloading all sorts of movies or the American Idol reruns, or just listening to her iPod's playlists. And it could have been a good alternative to her appetite for horror films, which we would watch over a hot cup of fresh milk.

What makes the deal even better? It's still for free baby. :)

*****
For more information, visit http://smart.com.ph/gold/services/MyTV.htm. Free lifetime subscription naman jan. =D

Kat and Jameson

We had been talking about the BIG day for over a year— from the most general information down to the most detailed emotional dilemma that you had been juggling. I had been trying to beef up your optimism, even though I knew things were easier said than done in your situation. I knew it was no piece of cake choosing and not choosing people or their expectations, something that I hoped everyone around you could understand. I'm not certain whether I was able to help. But one thing I can assure you— I was really looking forward to see you in your wedding dress as you meet your groom in his handsome suit. But due to a sudden loss in our family, I very much needed to back out, and just be there for them. I'm sorry I missed your vow.

===
Jameson, yung promise mo ha?

===
The following is an excerpt from the article Resolutions written by Father James B. Reuter, and published by The Philippine Star on the day before your wedding.

How do you keep a marriage together, from this day forward; for richer, for poorer; for better, for worse; in sickness and in health; until death do us part?
...

1. Let not the sun go down on your anger.

This is wise, with the wisdom of God. It is not easy to make up with words, especially when you are emotionally upset. I think that this means: the husband should make a great resolution that for the rest of his life, he will always kiss his wife good-night.

And the resolution of the wife must be: she will never turn away.

2. When husband and wife quarrel, as soon as the man can talk, he should say: “I’m sorry!”

The man sometimes protests: “But it is all her faults!”. . . When a man says “I’m sorry”, he is not withdrawing the truth of anything that he has said: “He only means: “I am sorry that I hurt you!. . .I am sorry that we are quarreling!. . I am sorry that you are crying!”. . . And this is true! .. . After he says: “I’m sorry”, the wife can say, if she believes this: “It was all my fault!” But the man should say: “I’m sorry!”

If the man does not kiss his wife goodnight, or if he does not say: “I’m sorry!”, then the wife should kiss her husband, the wife should say: “I’m sorry”. But — if this happens—it means that the girl is the strong one, and the boy is a weakling. She is the man, and he is the woman.

3. Pray together.

Father Patrick Peyton was saying, for the last 60 years: “The family that prays together, stays together”, and this is true!

4. Weekly Mass and Communion, together.

The best prayer is the Mass.

When you receive Communion it is the Body of God become part of you. It is the Blood of God running through your veins. By this you become one with God, and one with each other.

5. One bank account.

Whatever unites husband and wife is good. . . Whatever divides them is bad. . . And the most divisive force in all this world is money.

They need not have one physical bank account. They could have varied placements. But the husband should not have any money that the wife does not know about. And the wife should not have any funds that the husband does not know about. They should own everything together.

If you can not trust the one you love with money, you should never have married. Marriage must be a total investment! All that you have, and all that you are!

6. Never alone, with any other partner.

When the man marries, on his wedding day, he should make a great resolution that he will never go out alone with any woman, except his wife.

When a woman marries, on her wedding day, she should make a great resolution that she will never go out alone with any man, except her husband.

*****

There. =)
Happy new life, Kati & Jamesen!

Jelly Shoes

I was on my way to Smart Wireless Center in Ayala to apply for my very first postpaid plan (woohoo!) when it started to pour. It would've not been a big deal had the rain spared my feet. I could feel every droplet as it glided down my toes in every stride I took. At may sound effects pa talaga. Kadiri. It was very uncomforting. The umbrella I was carrying didn't do any help at all. Coincidentally, there was this small Schu Salon a few steps away from the Smart office.

So after our transaction, we headed to Schu’s, which I didn’t notice the signage before and assumed that it was just one of those tiangge stalls in the area. I was rummaging around for a simple cut-price pair, just to tone with the clothes I was wearing for the day, when he approached me holding a pair of flat white jelly shoes. I was sceptical to try them at first. I never imagined that I would be sporting something made of that "jelly" material (or even Crocs, no offense but they just don't look good on my feet). But he was relentless, like one of those promo reps you usually meet in shopping malls. My feet gave his proposal a shot. To my surprise, the pair felt and looked fine. Or, maybe I just thought it felt that way because I had been dying to remove my old drenched worn-out shoes.
I put the recent pair on even before I handed down the bills. In fairness ha, they felt good in the rain.

He was grinning, a little proud of himself for another winning story. Yeah, yeah, not bad. Now I have my rainy day shoes! =)

Say Cheese

My buddy and Nay made a short detour to our province before going to Camarines Sur for their New Year’s celebration. I was thrilled to bits. I had been waiting for seven days to see the birthday boy. =)

===
My mother was, as usual, non-stop with her stories. I was a bit embarrassed because Ma almost took over their conversation, like a main hostess of a talk show. Random topics, my mother. I think, Pa has a very excellent training ground for good listening because of her. Fortunately, Nay endured their exchange.

But don't get me wrong, my mother is chatty in a welcoming and charming way.

===
I'm gald Nay enjoyed their 2-day stay here. Aside from the cool puff of air in my parents' bedroom where Nay and I slept (my parents have been sleeping in my grandmother's bedroom since she passed away three years ago) and the red crabs we had at lunch, I think my mother's rap session and my father's challenge to a chess match were key ingredients. Wala pang tongits yun ha. If Nay and Pa could've just found one more eager person to play with them, my buddy would’ve been nagging his mother until sundown for a prolonged send-off (he was already nagging her this morning during the chess match).

===
It was a quick visit, which made me a little sullen because we missed each other's company for two special days in a row-- first time in three years.

Supertrump

Happy birthday, buddy ko!

mi luv yah.

Grains

Pa arrived a bit late from the market this morning. We were supposed to eat breakfast together. Hmp. I had finished my bowl of cereals, and started with the second CD of our morning background (which I discovered from the CD pudding case I had brought with me) when he showed up, clutching striped plastic bags of chicken cuts and vegetables. He would be THE king of the kitchen today because my Tia Rose and cousins Rach, James and Jay, would be coming over to spend the night with us. As promised, he would give one sack of rice to them if and only if they would sleep over, which, of course, they did-- not because of the "reward" but because of my parents' prodding. Apart from the choice cuts and greens, he already bought round fruits (suprisingly, including bananas) in preparation for New Year's eve. And, as usual, he polished off our morning with today's broadsheet— sort of a bribe for skipping our sunrise date.

I was enjoying my dose of scoop, particularly on Hatton's challenge to Pacman and on the Chateau Royale feature article, until I browsed the next set of pages. The well-known Honesty Coffee Shop in Batanes was robbed. I was dismayed, awfully sad about it. [Many people are familiar with that store— probably the only establishment in the world that does not have any lock or any person watching over it. All transactions are based on honesty system as the shop's name implies. A customer chooses an item then he or she simply leaves an exact payment.] But then it happened. Someone disrupted the time-honored passivity. Worse, the incident was not the "first" in the renowned zero-crime-rate town. There were other cases that, according to the article, had been reported as "minor incidents" only. Those crimes have been kept (or maybe settled subtly) to preserve the good image of the Ivatans. Come on now.

Good thing there was the Entertainment section to the rescue. Plus the sight of my father, doing his daily dumbbell exercises to the tune of In Love With Bacharach's last track.

*****
Hay. Batanes is our would-be next stop.

Breather

Longest holiday break. Ever.

I've already had my to-do list, which include doing some movie and series marathon, running for 30 minutes daily, enhancing my blog and our Multiply account, vacuuming certain areas of our house, organizing music info on my Ipod, editing pictures, creating Kat's short AVP, and bonding with my family and relatives. Definitely, action-packed.

The only drawback I could think of is that it's also going to be the longest time that I wouldn't see him since the time we've started spending three to four times a week. Oh. A little heartbreaking. I'm going to miss him badly until his birthday, which would require me to count for six more days. =(

=====

Update wih Ashtece. I had not been so confident since our previous encounter. I made a number of boo-boos then. But, lucky me, I had my third chance. We had some email correspondence for almost three weeks, mostly about confirmation for our next redezvous.

That day came, the same day I would be leaving for the province. I was supposed to be super excited because I would be going home. But I had to allot some time for our meeting and endure the Christmas rush on my way to Heritage, plus, of course, deal with my very limited sense of direction. When I got there, however, things turned out pretty OK. I was more at ease and assertive, although I missed two simple but significant details.

I'm not too complacent though. But I hope a good impression has been established. I hope another blessing will happen at the start of the new year.

Just crossing my fingers for whatever.

*****
You can't really get the perfect package. Even the finest options have a room for strain.

Fine China

The Chinatown's Best's eat-all-you-can was S-U-L-I-T. Forget about the small steamed crabs-- you still had a seafood feast anyway. Almost all of the foodstuff there tasted really, really good. Authentic and relatively easy on the pocket. I loved their tempura (even though we needed to remove the thick flour coating), sea bass (which Nay really enjoyed to pieces), sautéed mushroom with garlic (which I still had on my second plate), California maki (which, of course, you didn't try), and the veggie dishes (which complemented every set I prepared). I wanted to try their prawn salad, but I was so full already.

Chinatown's Best is in Banawe, QC. P499 per head.

*****
It was a sweet semi-surprise. I didn't mean to snoop on your calendar. It was totally unpremeditated. Swear. =)

Best Foodie

I saw a card that reads:

I love you, delicious.

Perfect.
Happy 40th month. Yummy. =)